HOUGHTON, Mich.  --  Northern Michigan University's volleyball team collected their first sweep of 2017 after defeating University of Mary 3-0 in the first match of the Keweenah Classic hosted by Michigan Technical University.

The Wildcats captured the first two sets in convincing fashion, winning the first set 25-11, and the second set 25-11.  The third set saw the teams compete through six lead changes until a 23-23 tie.  Freshman Leticia Antunes (Florianopolis, Brazil/Colegio Ofelia Fonseca) served up an ace and was followed by a Mary attack error to give the Wildcats a 25-23 third set win and match victory. 

Antunes led NMU with 12 kills and added 10 digs with two total block assists while senior Madison Whitehead (Altoona, Wisc.) added 11 kills and four block assists.  Senior Kayla Chosa (Wrightstown, Wisc.) chipped in with eight kills and helped control the net with three solo blocks and six total blocks. 

Senior Jami Hogeboom (Grand Haven, Mich.) finished the match with 29 assists and three block assists. 

Junior Rachel Braunschweig (Alamo, Calif./San Ramon Valley/Cape Fear CC) paced the defense with 17 digs.  At the net, freshman Sarah Kuehn (Green Bay, Wisc./De Pere) tallied five block assists and also aided the offensive attack with eight kills. 

Juniors Autumn Monsma (Grand Haven, Mich.) and Jessica Skonning (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) finished the contest with three aces each.  Monsma also aided the defense with three block assists.

With the victory, Northern Michigan improves to 4-1 on the season while Mary falls to 3-4.  The Wildcats return to action this evening as they face off with #7 University of Minnesota-Duluth at 5:30 p.m.